Sears Family Association - has this STRONG Warning: Please note: No one has yet proven who the Ancestors of Richard Sares (Sears) the Pilgrim, of Plymouth Colony were. Please don't fall into the trap promulgated by Mr H G Somerby that John Bourchier Sears(Sayer) is Richard's father

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John Sayer, Alderman of Colchester, County Essex, England, d. in 1509, and his widow d. 1530. They were buried in St. Peter's church, and the following brass memorial is still in existence :

"In this yle and neare unto this place are buryed the bodyes of John Sayer sometyme Alderman of this Towne of Colchester and of Elizabeth his wyfe which said John dyed the xiiij day of February in the year of our Lord God MCCCCCIX." and which said Elizabeth dved the xxvij day of April in the yere of our Lorde God MCCCCCXXX."

His son John Sayers d. 1562, and was buried near his father, with the following memorial, also in brass :

" John Sayres bodye lyeth enclosed here in grave Whose ghost the heavens do possess, whose fame on earth we have His life and eke his death with good report he past And now (doubtless) doth enjoy the life that aye shall last. When fiftene hundreth - yeares and sixty three were spent From Chryst his Byrth accounted just from payne to joyes he went. He dyed Ano Dni 1563/ 1

His eldest son Richard Sayers, b. 1508, m. Anne Knyvet, dau. of John Knyvet of Ashwelthorpe, County Norfolk, by his wife Jane, dau. and sole heiress of John Bourchier, second Lord Berners, by his wife Catherine, dau. of John Howard, Duke of Norfolk. Her mother, Anne Plantagenet was dau of Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester, son of King Edward III.

Richard Sayer or Sayres, a political refugee, settled in Amsterdam in 1537, and d. 1540, leaving a son John Bourchier Sayer, b. 1535, m. Elizabeth, dau. of Admiral Sir John Hawkins, and d. in Holland. His son John Bourchier Sayer (II), b. in Amsterdam, 1561, m. 1585, Maria Lamoraal van Egmond, dau. of Philippe Lamoraal van Egmond, (believed to have been a relation of the famous Count Lamoraal van Egmond, who was murdered by the bloody Duke of Alva), and acquired with her a large fortune. He d. 1629. His eldest son Richard Sayer or Sears, b. in Holland in 1590, attached himself to the congregation of the Rev. Mr. Robinson, and sailed for America, landing in Plymouth in 1630. He to. there Dorothy, sister of the Rev. Anthony Thacher. He was a representative to the Colony Court and d. 1646, ae. 86. His second son, Paul Sears, to- Deborah Willard, and was father of Bethia, wife of John Crowell, whose dau. Elizabeth, m. Benjamin Homer to whom we now return.

Brief account of the family of Homer or de Homere of Ettingshall, County Stafford, Eng. and Boston, Mass (1889, ALBANY, N. Y., JOEL MUNSELL S SONS, PUBLISHERS ) pg. 14-16

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One lineage found is as follows and appears to have multiple errors; but similar names

Richard SAYER\SEARS(1) was born about 1509 in Colchester. He was married to Ann Bourchier KNYVET. Children were: John Bourchier SAYER (SEARS) .

John Bourchier SAYER (SEARS)(1) was born about 1535 in Amsterdam, Holland. He died in Holland. Parents: Richard SAYER\SEARS and Ann Bourchier KNYVET . He was married to Marie L VAN EGMONT. Children were: Richard SEARS.

Richard SEARS(1) was born in 1590 in Amsterdam, Holland. He died on 26 Aug 1676 in Yarmouth, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts. Parents: John Bourchier SAYER (SEARS) and Marie L VAN EGMONT. He was married to Dorothy THATCHER in 1632. Children were: Silas SEARS , Paul SEARS, Deborah SEARS .

NOTE: This Richard Sears was cut off this family and is now listed as a unconnected Sears tree